In Retrospect, Not Such a Bad Start for Obama

[babylonsister]

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/02/in_retrospect_not_such_a_bad_s.html

In Retrospect, Not Such a Bad Start for Obama
By Ruth Marcus


WASHINGTON -- To everyone out there despairing -- or rejoicing -- about the Obama administration's supposedly rocky start: Settle down. It's actually going rather well.

Sure, President Obama had a lousy week. A week is not a presidency. He blundered with the selection, and withdrawal, of Tom Daschle to spearhead his health care reform effort. Indeed, the self-inflicted Daschle damage is twofold: In the short term, and along with other problematic nominees, to Obama's claim to signal change from Washington business as usual; in the longer term, to steering health reform through Congress.

And certainly, there were problems with the rollout of his stimulus package. The administration ceded too much control over the contents to House Democrats, although it was nowhere near as hands-off as has been portrayed. It was entirely foreseeable that Republicans would cherry-pick individual elements for ridicule; the administration excised some of them but failed to do enough to anticipate the outsized problems that remaining items would cause. The president, until rebooting this week with travel and a prime-time news conference, lost control of the message to Republicans, who were only too happy to seize it.

But it is difficult to assemble a measure of this magnitude -- this audacity, even -- once you've settled into office. It's nearly impossible to do it from the outside or on the way in the door, without functioning e-mail or phones. Expecting the Obama team to operate perfectly under these conditions is like expecting a first-year med student to perform surgery -- before they've handed out the stethoscopes.

Consider, also, what the administration has accomplished so far. Before he took office, Obama played a key role in obtaining congressional approval for the second round of bank bailout funding, clearing from his plate a major problem that would otherwise have awaited his arrival.

By the end of his first two weeks in office, the president signed into law two major pieces of legislation -- on pay discrimination and children's health care.

By the end of his first month, he will, in all likelihood, have overseen enactment of a stimulus bill that will be about the size, with about the mix of new spending and tax cuts, of what he originally proposed.

snip//

So if you're feeling jittery about Obama's start, ask yourself this: Is there another president in recent memory who would have done better?

[firedupdem]

1. Hell No! He's doing just fine especially considering the circumstances!

Great Article!

[ClarkUSA]

2. No president has ever passed such a hugely important legislation this early in his first term.

Nor have they ever passed such constitutionally important executive orders in such a short period of time, either.
Not bad for three weeks and counting, so fuck off, naysayers.

[panader0]

3. I'm not jittery. I think this is the best I've ever witnessed and I'm 58

[tilsammans]

4. No, and I've seen a lot of presidents.

The man is gettin' it done. :applause:

[Tigermoose]

5. Pragmatist make decisions based on experience, not ideology.

Obama is doing a fantastic job.

Many on this board would have Obama make decisions based solely upon reasoning and conceptual understanding. This might work, but unfortanately most of the American public would not be ready to accept his decisions unless they had first seen it for themselves. Thus, Obama will proceed experimentally, slowly examing the situation and adjusting his plans and legislation as experience shows the American public the necessity of his plans. I am pleased to have a President that uses pragmatic experience rather than political ideology. This might annoy those of us who are just "sure" they have have it all figured out, but for most Americans, we first have to experience necessity before we are ready to act properly.

[uponit7771]

6. I'd say historically top 5 best starts in last 100 years, they got things running BEFORE he got into

...office and outside of Ghietner(sp), which still isn't all that bad of a pick relative to the other crooks, he's done great!

A good planner and organizer

[Clio the Leo]

7. Rocky start? I missed that memo.

I should I say, "meme." :-)

[WI_DEM]

8. The American people, except the far right and some on the far left

think he's doing a splendid job, so far.

[Jennicut]

9. Obama's has been much smoother then Clinton's was imo

I refused to pay attention to Shrub's first days and I was a bit too young to remember Reagan's or Poppy Bush's beginnings. However, I don't recall any of the other modern presidents being so popular so fast. Approval ratings in the 60's to 70's right off the bat. Its his style, down to earth and pragmatic. When he makes mistakes (he is human) he admits them. He is incredible. Clinton was good but Obama just has an incredible sense of how to relate to people.

[Cha]

10. People need to Chill

The Fuck OUT.


"But it is difficult to assemble a measure of this magnitude -- this audacity, even -- once you've settled into office. It's nearly impossible to do it from the outside or on the way in the door, without functioning e-mail or phones. Expecting the Obama team to operate perfectly under these conditions is like expecting a first-year med student to perform surgery -- before they've handed out the stethoscopes."